Exterior automotive door handles are subjected to a number of mechanical and environmental stresses. They are constantly exposed to humidity, UV light and widely varying temperatures. They also undergo physical stresses, and the effects of perspiration and dirt.

In order to save weight, reduce cost and improve safety, car door handles are usually made of plastics such as PBT, fiber-reinforced PA, or ABS. These plastic parts then need to be painted to achieve an optimal look and feel.

Being exposed to mechnical and environmental stresses as well as perspiration and dirt, door handles made out of plastics need a pre-treatment before they get painted.

Best paint adhesion on plastic car door handles

Car door handles can be pre-treated effectively with either atmospheric plasma (Openair®) or by low-pressure plasma process Aurora, depending on whichever method is most appropriate for the throughput required and the specific paint technology used.

Atmospheric plasma pre-treatment is especially well suited for flatline painting processes where the Openair® Plasma nozzles can be installed directly above the painting line.

If painting is performed by robots and on spindle-conveyor type machines, the door handles are frequently conveyed through the paint booth using part carriers. The Aurora low-pressure pre-treatment method is well suited to this kind of process. The part surface of door handles for complete trays of parts can be evenly and reliably activated in the Aurora pre-treatment chamber.